Recipients

The Franklin Silver Lining Trust is continuing to offer special breaks to people suffering from adversity in Franklin.

Karen Stevens and her daughter Rebecca were driven by Franklin Limousines to You Photography for a makeover and photoshoot, then later they had dinner with their family at the Monarch Cafe.

This is their story.

Rebecca Stevens:

On June 26 2010 I had a cardiac arrest at home. I was 16 years old. Mum did CPR on me until the ambulance arrived.

Because doctors couldn't find anything wrong with my heart to treat, I have a defibrillator in my chest in case it happens again. It will shock me if my heart stops beating or beats too fast.

Because I was unconscious for quite a while, I suffered from a lack of oxygen which caused a hypoxic brain injury. This has been the hardest to deal with.

I find it really hard to learn and remember new stuff. School has been pretty difficult and I have a personalised programme for this year as I still get really tired.

The gift of a mother- daughter photoshoot from the Silver Lining Trust came at a time when I was feeling pretty low.

Mum and I had an amazing time. We had a limousine ride, picnic hamper, had our hair and makeup done and our photos taken at a professional studio.

After that, my family, boyfriend and I all went out for a meal. I loved it all.

Karen Stevens:

The staff at Pukekohe East Primary School, where I work, nominated Rebecca and me for this wonderful gift.

We were extremely humbled as there are so many worthy people in the community facing hardships who may not have such a positive future as Rebecca to look forward to.

We are very proud of how she has tried to get her life back on track, even though she has a number of restrictions now that make it harder to be a normal teenager.

Only 15 percent of people survive cardiac arrests in their home, so we are very blessed to have our daughter still with us.

- Other recent recipients of Franklin Silver Lining Trust special breaks have included:

Sarah Smith who had a stroke two weeks before her 40th birthday and missed a holiday to Queenstown. The trust paid for tickets, accommodation and a rental car so she could have the holiday she had planned.

And Deborah McMillan was given a weekend away in the Wairarapa.